Upper Gospel Lake in Idaho County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Idaho, Upper Gospel Lake belongs to Idaho County. The bank gives way to rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 13 acres — small enough to read in one session. For supplies, Grangeville is 22 miles out. After that come Kamiah at 41 miles and McCall at 50 miles. Others worth noting: Lower Gospel Lake at about 0.4 miles, East Gospel Lake about 0.6 miles, Lower Knob Lake at about 1.6 miles, Upper Knob Lake about 1.7 miles and Middle Knob Lake at about 1.8 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Upper Gospel Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Idaho County include rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout, bull trout and brook trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Upper Gospel Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 52°F and December at 20°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid May. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Upper Gospel Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. A camping area sits within half a mile of here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Lower Gospel Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. For Upper Gospel Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.